var $j = jQuery.noConflict();
$j().ready(function() {

				/* preload images */
					var imgArr = new Array( 
						'images/slides/1.jpg',
						'images/slides/2.jpg',
						'images/slides/3.jpg'
						);
					imgArr.sort(function() {return 0.5 - Math.random()}) 
					
					var preloadArr = new Array();
					var i;
					 
					for(i=0; i < imgArr.length; i++){
						preloadArr[i] = new Image();
						preloadArr[i].src = imgArr[i];
					}
				
				/* image rotator */
					var currImg = 1;
					var baseImg = 2;
					var intID = setInterval(changeImg, 7000);
					
					
					$j('#slideshow').css('background','url('+ preloadArr[currImg].src +')  top center no-repeat');
					$j('#slideshow_base').css('background','url('+ preloadArr[currImg].src +')  top center no-repeat');
					
					
					function changeImg(){
							$j('#slideshow').animate({opacity: 0}, 1000, function(){
								 $j(this).css('background','url(' + preloadArr[currImg++%preloadArr.length].src +')');
							}).delay(5000).animate({opacity: 1}, 1000, function(){
								 $j('#slideshow_base').css('background','url(' + preloadArr[baseImg++%preloadArr.length].src +')');
							});
					}
				
});